Alfie Joey has joined the cast of a North-east folk opera which brings together talent from across the region.
No More Sleeping is a bold and visionary new folk opera which will take the audience on an unforgettable journey through history, imagination and innovation.
Created by pupils from Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, the production is the result of a unique collaboration with acclaimed writer Richard O’Neill MBE, renowned musician and community leader Mike McGrother, illustrator Michelle Russell, and Seven Stories - The National Centre for Children’s Books.
Described as Alice in Wonderland meets The Wizard of Oz, infused with the spirit of When the Boat Comes In, The Likely Lads, Byker Grove, and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, No More Sleeping will tell the inspiring story of a teenage girl struggling with the loss of her grandparents. Her world transforms when she receives Marra, a Multifunctioning Autonomous Robotic Resource Assistant, not just a machine but a living archive of her family’s history and untold stories of the North-east.
Guided by Marra, she embarks on a mesmerising adventure, encountering historical figures from the heritage of the North-east. Together, they uncover the region’s rich heavy industrial and cultural legacy, sparking a movement towards a future driven by arts, technology, sustainability and innovation.
Former BBC Radio Newcastle presenter Alfie Joey, who is also an actor, writer, comic and artist, has joined the cast as a schoolteacher.
He said: “I’m a big fan of Richard O’Neill and I do a lot of work with Seven Stories as a writer and illustrator, and I love going into schools so this combines all three!
“I have been on stage all my life but I have never performed on a stage like this. This is a big moment for them to perform on stage and will be an experience these young people will remember forever.”
The musical will be performed at Newcastle City Hall on Wednesday 23 September at 7.15pm.
No More Sleeping is not only a stage production, but also an opportunity for children from the North East to see themselves and their communities positively represented in a professional, published picture book – also created by the children.
Brendan Tapping, CEO of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, and the driving force behind the project, said: “We are delighted to once more be working with pupils right across our Trust to produce a spectacular performance. Following our previous successful ventures – Footsteps into Paradise at Durham Cathedral in 2022, and JOY in my Heart at Rainton Arena in 2023.
“At its heart, No More Sleeping is a story of resilience, transformation, and community. It reminds us that the North East is not just a region of history, but one of boundless creativity and innovation.”
Richard O’Neill MBE said: “With a dynamic and electrifying score blending folk, rock and contemporary musical theatre, No More Sleeping brings the North East’s past and future to life in an immersive, high-energy production. No More Sleeping is more than a musical; it is a movement, a celebration, and a call to action.”
Anyone interested in more information about the event or the picture book please email [email protected]
For more information about BCCET, visit www.bccet.org.uk